1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ceramic composite material applied to component members of a jet engine for an airplane and such and a production method for the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ceramics are in general prominently refractory but on the other hand many ceramics have disadvantage of brittleness. To overcome the disadvantage of brittleness, some attempts to form composite materials, in which any ceramic is applied to a matrix to combine fibers of any inorganic matter such as silicon carbide (SiC), have been made.
As one of methods suitable for forming such composite materials, there is proposed a Polymer Impregnation and Pyrolysis (“PIP” hereinafter) method. In the PIP method, a fabric of fibers consisting of SiC or such is immersed in a polymer solution and the immersed fabric is calcined at a proper high temperature to form a composite material of a ceramic and fibers. The polymer solution is properly selected in accordance with a kind of ceramics to be produced after calcining. For example, if a solution containing polycarbosilane is applied, a matrix consisting of SiC is produced. As disadvantages of the PIP method, it may be exemplified that shrinkage occurring in the course of calcining may lead to deterioration of bonding between the matrix and the fibers or generation of any defects such as micro-pores and cracks in the matrix.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-335378 discloses a related art of a slurry immersion method, which is intended for overcoming the above disadvantages. In the slurry immersion method, powder-like carbon and silicon are suspended in a solvent such as a methanol solution to form slurry. A fabric is immersed in the slurry and calcined to produce a ceramic composite material. Because reactions occur among solid phases to produce SiC, shrinkage in the course of calcining is limited in a relatively small degree.